Welcome to the Black Parade
by Ki-chanForPresident
Summary: Death. Is it wanted? Or feared...? His love is gone, and now all Axel wants is to die.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or the song in this story.**

A/n: Lol, I think I might've hit my limit with the sadness level. xD this was hard to write, but I've had the idea for sometime now...

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Boy, did it get uncomfortable in these hospital beds...

"Wake up, Axel, it's morning!"

Brilliant sunshine bloomed into the hospital room that disgusting morning, emerald orbs cracking open groggily. The redhead situated in the hospital bed groaned displeasingly as he lifted a hand over his eyes to block out the sunlight that infiltrated his room.

"Do you have to open the curtains...?" grumbled Axel, finding those irritating wristbands making the redhead itchy, wanting nothing more than to rip it off.

"Yes, Axel," replied the petite nurse standing in his hospital room. "Sunlight helps an injured body. You need your vitamin D." The nurse gave a super sweet smile, checked some of the machines standing high next to Axel's bed before exiting the room.

The redhead groaned softly and fell back against the many pillows, staring across the room and then sighing firmly. His eyes wandered over to the door nearby where he could see several people walking by, several nurses with clipboards and older people with flowers and good well cards. There was a dry erase board on the door, reading upon it, _Axel McCrae: Heart Cancer_.

The redhead then looked away from the door and back towards the wall across from him. Becoming bored, Axel sat up in the hospital bed and glanced at his side table where an enormous vase with welting roses sat there - his annoying secret admirer - and over ten get well cards.

How long had he been in the hospital...? His rare condition caused him to stay there for over four years, and considering he had no real place to live he had stayed there for a long time. Also, the fact that he didn't have that much health insurance made it even worse. Less money, less doctor's help...

Axel stared at the get well cards on his bedside table, seeing one large one in the front of all the others. He reached out and grasped the sparkly blue card, opening it and peering at the inside.

_Get well, Axel! We can't very well get married when you're sick, now can we?_

_I love you._

_Roxas._

On the right side of the page was a photograph of Axel and a young blond boy on the beach, both laughing and smiling.

Two tear streams trickled down Axel's fair cheeks, and he swallowed deeply, eyes fluttering closed to cease the crying.

Axel had received this card a week after he had been in the hospital... And shortly after Axel had gotten his heart cancer...his beloved to be Roxas had passed away from a breathing problem, making their wedding nonexistent.

Axel's heart had failed years ago, and he was wondering why he was still here on earth. Why hadn't his body stopped working? Why...can't he just die already? So he could join his Roxas in the clouds above.

Why couldn't he just die...?

Another year and another unfortunate month, and Axel still lived with his painful heart. The only thing Axel desired was to just pass away already, and be gone from this world. But it refused to ever come- that light at the end of the tunnel never appeared...

Was Axel doomed to stay on earth? Suffering?

That's what Axel thought...until one day came...

Writhing and moaning, the redhead gasped sharply in pain as he continued to writhe in his hospital bed. He gasped, winced and shook in unimaginable pain. Several nurses and one doctor stood around him, one nurse holding his rather thin hand, Axel gripping her's back as he stared forward at the ceiling.

"It's too late." murmured a nurse, shaking her head and placing a hand over her eyes.

Axel gasped sharply again. "It...hurts...!"

Axel nearly screamed in pain, reaching out towards the ceiling, eyes as wide as saucers. Then, his hand returned to his body, slamming into his chest and gripping the material of his gown, where his heart would be.

"Hold on, Axel... Hold on..." came the nurses.

Axel's knuckles turned pale as he gripped at his chest hard with his right hand, his other hand squeezing the nurse's hand very tightly.

The pain welled up inside Axel, his heart beating at erratic speeds, too dangerous for a normal man. The redhead cringed, shouting out in pain and agony.

_It'll all be over soon..._

Axel threw his head back, gripping at his upper chest, yelling out loudly.

_...just let it all go..._

Axel closed his eyes tightly, shaking terribly and screaming out at the top of his lungs.

_It'll all be over soon._

Axel's eyes flew open and one tear escaped his emerald eye, hand falling limp from his chest and down onto his lap, his other hand releasing the nurse's palm and his eyes slipped closed...

_Will you defeat them? Your demons and all the non-believers, the plans that they have made?_

Axel opened his eyes and slowly sat up. He was in the hospital bed. How weird... He then looked around, but he definitely wasn't in the hospital room...

It looked as if it was an enormous city, burned and perished to the ground, pieces of ash floating through the air. Axel sat up and pushed his legs over the side of the bed, standing up and moving forward.

Thick black lines were under Axel's eyes, appearing as if he hadn't slept in months. His skin was deathly pale, and he was still in the hospital gown. Nothing about him had changed much since he had been in the hospital room.

Axel continued to move forward, through the burned and broken city.

"Where...am I?" murmured Axel, still able to feel some heat radiate off the smoking buildings. "Is this...the after life?"

_"Axel..."_

The redhead looked up when hearing the call, emeralds wide and searching.

_"Axel..."_ called the soft and echoing voice again.

"Who's there?" Axel said. "Where am I? What's going on? Am I dead? Am I finally dead?"

_"Axel. I'm here."_

Suddenly, it dawned to Axel. His eyes were very wide and he jerked around, searching frantically for the owner of the voice.

"Roxas?!" he exclaimed. "Roxas, where are you?"

_"Axel..."_

Axel quickly began through the city, searching wildly for a beautiful blond boy, still calling out his name in an echoing trance.

_"Axel... Axel... Axel..."_

"ROXAS!"

Suddenly, Axel came to a stop in a open, ashy clearing where there were no buildings or much smoke. He stared around, the only sound Axel's deep panting.

"Roxas?" Axel murmured softly. There was no response, as there was nothing there. "Roxas!?" Axel hesitated and then gave a very quiet whimper, placing his hands to his face and softly crying, chest heaving and back trembling. "R-Roxas... Why can't I find you...?"

_"Axel..."_

Axel gasped and lifted his head up quickly. A ghostly white hand reached out behind him and rested their hand on Axel's shoulder. Slowly, Axel turned his head and looked behind him.

A figure stood there, wearing all black like the outfit a baton twirler might wear. The figure was also wearing a gas mask over their head, so Axel couldn't see their face.

The redhead's eyes were wide with almost horror at the person standing behind them, tear stains on his cheeks and he was trembling.

"Wh-who are you...?" whispered Axel.

The white glowing hand left Axel's shoulder and both hands went up to the mask on the figure's head, reaching up to pull it off, revealing the face of a beautiful boy with bright sapphire blue eyes and a head full of blond spikes. He was glowing. Glowing white.

_"Axel."_ said the boy, his voice almost ethereal. Axel's eyes were very, very wide when he laid eyes on the gorgeous boy before him.

"Roxas..." breathed Axel.

Roxas smiled, and he looked more beautiful than ever. _"Axel...are you ready?"_

Axel stared at Roxas, looking very puzzled, speechless and near terrified. "Ready? For what?"

Roxas smiled wider and giggled, reaching out to take Axel's hand._ "To go home, silly."_

Axel paused, intertwining his fingers with Roxas's. "Home?"

_"Yes."_ Roxas smiled wider, lifting Axel's pale and yellowish hand up to his mouth, kissing the ice-cold flesh. Axel gasped; his lips were so warm. _"I've been waiting for you, Axel. I've been waiting for you to come. And now you have, and my time here is over."_

_  
_"Roxas..." Axel breathed gently. "Why'd you have to go away...?"

Roxas stared at Axel, eyebrows positioned upwards in compassion.

_"Because it was my time, Axel."_ Roxas smiled sweetly. _"Everything's over now, though. Everything will be okay."_

Axel stared at Roxas, eyes filled with tears building up before they finally rolled down his cheeks. "Roxas, I missed you...I missed you so much..."

Roxas smiled again, reaching up and wiping his tears away. "_I missed you, too, Axel. And we're together again... And I love you."_

"I love you, Roxas..." Axel whispered, tears still rolling down each cheek. Roxas smiled even wider, moving closer to Axel, standing up on his tiptoes and pressing his lips to the redhead's. Axel kissed back, crying as he did so, wrapping his arms around the boy's body and pulling him close. Roxas broke the kiss and allowed Axel to just hold him, both embracing warmly.

_"We should go now."_ said Roxas, pulling away. He reached down again and latched their hands together. He giggled. _"Come on."_

Then, Roxas began to lead Axel out into the ashy and dark clearing and into the far beyond, heading to a better and more beautiful place. A place Axel could call home, where he would spend eternity forever with his love. Roxas...


End file.
